Hair's to a worthy cause

By Maisie Mould

A 12 year old girl from Douglas is about to cut 14 inches (35cm) off her hair to fundraise for a worthy charity.

Jessie Roche’s hair will be donated to the Rapunzel Foundation, a charity that makes wigs for people suffering with hair loss.

The money Jessie raises will be split between the Marymount Hospice, where some of her relatives and a friend’s aunt have spent time, and the Neonatal Department at CUMH, where she and her sister went as newborns.

Jessie spent 10 days in the neonatal unit alongside her twin sister Abigail, who stayed for over three weeks.

Her dad Jerry told the Cork Independent: “From the minute she was born, she was whisked away from us and brought down there. Only for them the two of them might not be here.”

Jessie’s chosen charities are very significant to her, and she thinks they represent “the start and the end of life,” Jerry said.

“Myself and my wife Catherine are very proud of her,” he added.

Jerry described the unit as “the charity that belongs to her heart”, and that she wants to “give back to them” for the care they gave her.

She follows in the footsteps of her twin sister Abigail, who herself did the same thing three years ago.

“She always wanted to do it since her sister has done it,” Jerry said.

Jessie has already raised more than €1,200 of her €1,500 target, and will present the two hospital departments with a big cheque when the fundraising comes to an end.

“It’s not blowing my own trumpet, but my two girls are kind-hearted,” Jerry said, “Be kind, say please and thank you to everybody and you’ll get on well in this life.”

Jessie is “looking forward” to cutting her hair, and hopes to set a date as soon as her fundraising target is reached.

See gofundme.com/f/donating-hair-for-charity to donate.